UEFA lifts ban from live screening of Premier League games in England, Scotland

The Union of European Football Association has recently decided to lift the ban on the live screening of Premier League matches in England and Scotland. As per reports, the ban was in place in order to protect attendances at matches. This move by European football’s governing body is seen as a major step towards restarting competitions in Britain behind closed doors in the hopes that the season that was interrupted by the coronavirus can be completed.

Mass postponements due to coronavirus

According to reports, UEFA released a statement that read “UEFA has lifted the ‘blocked hours’ protection granted to the UEFA member associations for England and Scotland for the remainder of the 2019/20 football season, following requests from the relevant national associations as a result of measures taken in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

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The coronavirus pandemic caused mass postponements across the league and cup competitions. Football games were put on hold until it became safe to return. UEFA in a statement also claimed that clubs that were taking part in competitions that it had judged as cancelled early would likely not be allowed to play in next season’s Champions League and Europa League.

As per reports, the Belgian football league had earlier recommended that the current season of football that was interrupted by the coronavirus be declared cancelled and the table as it stands now be treated as final. Despite the coronavirus pandemic and uncertainty as to when things would start to return to normal, the Premier League and English Football League have maintained that they are committed to completing the 2019/20 season.

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Read: When Will Champions League And Europa League Return? UEFA Take Coronavirus Measures

Restarting football

According to reports, the Union of European Football Association is forming a plan to resume football around July and August. Domestic leagues all over Europe were told not to abandon competitions yet due to the coronavirus pandemic.

(With Inputs from PTI and AP)